Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-03-25
Our LANSING LETTER.
'ious Matters of Inter s. to the
Public,
AndLcgislative summary.

- ng goods on contract. IL il a profit
ab e custom of furniture and sewing
machine 'ompan.es to ell goods on month
~ Payments. The company retains a
nom II Il ownership of the goods by means
of "A contract which recites that the pur-
cha.er shall not be re- arded rs owner of
the goods until the last payment is made.
Ihl- provision gives the company perfect
indemnity. Tor the goods can be seized al
any time under the contract. The plan
REQUIRES such small cash payments
hat the most eNorhltant prices are
charged for good. The business has
grown TO be much like that of the chattel
mort age sharks. Tie worst feature OF
the ca tom has been that il offered un-
limited opportunity for frauds Persons
IN lmpecunlOus circumstance have fire.
quently secured large credit from the ex-
tensive stock OF goods or furniture they
have had. Thi, had been bought on con
tract, and was therefore not owned by the
one in possession. The pub. ic records did
not disclose the conditional nature of the
ownership. In many cases these goods
have been sold by the one in possession,
but the purchaser soon found that there
was prior title in the merchant who had
sold them on contract. The Mayo bill
makes all three conditional contracts void
unless a copy is filed with the town or
city clerk. the same as in chattel mort.
cages This will stop frauds, rs the entire
contract will be IA matter of record, sub
ject to public inspection.
William \. Smith of Grand Rapids has
been appointed game and fish warden.
The ,oint judiciary committee of the two
houses have agreed TO fix the limit of the
age Of consent at ID years. a maiority
favored limit of II years.
Not long ago there passed both houses
without dissenting votes i'll TO organize
the Township OF Gustin, Altoona county.
out of part OF the territory of Harris
vile. objection being made by citizens
another bin was introduced repeating the
first ne, and thi, too has been passed
without diSapproving vote.
The house has passed the .enate till
which permits live stock insurance com
panies to deposit with the state treasurer.
a security Tor liability 20 insured parties,
county and city bonds as well as United
States bonds.
All after the euactng clause has teen
stricken out of the bil 20 in rease the
salarie, of the judges of the supreme court
10 5000 year. An amendment to make
the salary 5000 was also re cted
The senate has agreed to Mr. Stark's bill
enumerating who shall Toe subject 10 mill
tary duty. IN short, all able bodied male
citizens between the ages OF is ana - years
not exempted by the laws Of this state or
of the United states. The enrolled militia
shall not be subject 10 active military duty
except in case OF war, rebellion. INVASION
the prevention of invasion. the suppressio
of riots, tumuits and breaches Of the peace.
and 10 all civil officers in the execution of
the laws and the service of process. in
which case they may be ordered out for
many OF them a the necessity demands.
TIE Per. ons exempted from military
duty are the judges of the supreme. cir
cunt. district and probate courts. members
and officers of the legislature. officers and
guards OF pri unS and al state and county
officers except notnrleS public. he amend
ments 10 the existing law consists in eX-
Guiding from the exemptions they now en-
10Y ministers OF the spell teachers in
public institutions and public schools be-
tween the age, OF J., and -, and commits
stoned officers of the state militia who
have served eight years
Amendments were proposed 10 strike
out from tine exempt list members and
officers of the 'eCi ,latrr' Senators Palm
or aud Huhbeu enforced tho view that
while such an amendment might be a mat
ter OF merry making at the pre-ent time
and under tranquil circumstances. IL
would be a serious affair in case of war.
Instruction or invasion. when, il at no
other time. the necessity for government
j. most apparent. The amendments were
re jected.
The manual for tie present legislature
the senate show. the oldest mem
Der TO be Mr. Potter, aged -: the
Youngest Mr. Gidd =, age - The ma
tivity of nator> is a follows: New
\ ork, u. nearly half OF the entire member
ship: Michigan 9: Ireland. 3; Scotland, ,;
Canada .: Ohio, I. For tie fir time in
many years the German population. so
in this tate is n repre- -entel
in toe senate. bV member of III At nation
atty. Thi fact gave ocCa ion to the Ger
man new papers, commenting ON the pas
sage OF the Trohllltory amendment, 10
drplore the auseuce OF some Of their hon
orcd AMI trusted representatives, of form
CT sessions. lt may be said also, that
never was the membership of the senate
so numerously in sons Of
New ork.
The oldest member of the house is Rep
resentatiYe Stuart Of wayne age GG: the
Representative hoslord closely
10y OEgI o. Wayne, age 26. The /
OF mem.er, OF the house i de /
scribed as being from Michigan. 32-nearly !
one third Of all. New York 20-one-ifth |
OF all: Ohio. lone seventh of all; Cana |
la, l0--one tenth of all; Ireland, 3; Eng |
land 3: Ma-sachu etts. ,. New Brunswick, |
=. / ennSNlN ma, ltnOte lana, Indldnd,
tennessee Nj. sissippi, New Jersey, Swe- |
len, Prussia, Baden and Switzerland |
each l.
The house devoted one afternoon and |
evening 10 the discussion of Mr.. Oviatt's |
bin 10 punish murder in the first degree by |
death by hanging, when the jury so rec !
Speeches IN favor of the meas
ure were made 10y MeSsrs. Oviatt of Lake; |
w God of Gratiot; Henry Watson OF Mont
ra Thompson of Delta; Seward Baker |
# Monroe: Tom Williams of Jackson;
Perkins of Cheboygan; Diekema
and Goodrich of Ottawa, and Man
" OF Washtenaw. The bill was
opposed by Messrs. Snow Of Saginaw /
Rumsey OF Ingham, Mckie and Baker of |
Berrien, Grinnell, IIosford and Stuart of
Wayne. Simpson Of Van Buren,, Heecher
Of Genesee and Mccormick of Allegan A
,ount upon division of the house showed |
forty seven in favor of the hill and twenty
If ght against il. Mr.. Oviatt counted six
friends Of tie bill absent and is confident
hat IL will pass the house but not the sen
ate.
The announcement that all railroad /
passes would be withdrawn from members
# the legislature will result i'm quite
.aVipr 70 the state and the railroads will |